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“All My Loving” by the Beatles is a great example of their early ’60s pop style. This song’s verse chord progression is in the key of D Major with a mix of minor chords and 7th chords that add to the emotional intensity of the song. The composition blends pop simplicity with complex harmony, encapsulating the Beatles’ innovative songwriting.

“The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill” features a verse in A minor with a brief but significant shift to F minor, due to the use of borrowed chords or modal mixture. Notably, it showcases The Beatles’ sophisticated approach to harmonization, utilizing unconventional chord progressions & modulations that are cyclical.

“Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones, off their 1971 album Sticky Fingers, is in the key of C major, and primarily uses the chords C, F, G and Bb. This song showcases the band’s blues rock influences, built on a repetitive, riff-driven chord progression. The use of I, IV, V, and a borrowed bVII (Bb), which is common in the blues, creates an appealing and familiar sound, helping the song resonate with listeners.

“Zombie” by The Cranberries is in the key of E minor. Its structure is generally pop and rock, with the power of distorted guitars and a heavy drumbeat complemented by Dolores O’Riordan’s haunting vocals. It utilizes a four-chord progression, which is common in many pop and rock tracks and has been a popular choice amongst songwriters for its simplicity and versatility.

“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles is one of the excellent examples of the unique and complex style popular in the late 1960’s. It is in the key of E and further progresses to F# minor. The progression utilizes modal interchange, chromaticism, and unusual chord progressions to create a dreamlike and psychedelic landscape that perfectly suits the lyrical theme of the song.

The Beatles – All My Loving – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘A7’, ‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘D’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here is the chord progression for Verse 2 with its full chord names and their Roman numerals:

– E Minor (‘Em’) – vi
– A Dominant 7th (‘A7’) – V7
– D Major (‘D’) – I
– B Minor (‘Bm’) – vi
– G Major (‘G’) – IV
– E Minor (‘Em’) – vi
– C Major (‘C’) – II
– A Dominant 7th (‘A7’) – V7
– E Minor (‘Em’) – vi
– A Dominant 7th (‘A7’) – V7
– D Major (‘D’) – I
– B Minor (‘Bm’) – vi
– G Major (‘G’) – IV
– A Major (‘A’) – V
– D Major (‘D’) – I

Borrowed chord:

The C Major chord is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key, D minor.

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C Major ‘II’
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Similar Chord Progressions

A similar chord progression can be found in “Cherry Wine” by Hozier, and structured as follows:

– E Minor (‘Em’)
– A Dominant 7th (‘A7’)
– D Major (‘D’)
– B Minor (‘Bm’)
– G Major (‘G’)
– E Minor (‘Em’)
– C Major (‘C’)
– D Major (‘D’)

Another similar chord progression is in “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King, as follows:

– G Major (‘G’)
– E Minor (‘Em’)
– C Major (‘C’)
– D Major (‘D’)

Musical Analysis

“All My Loving” prominently features a walking bassline and 2-beat percussive pattern that emblematic of the Merseybeat sound popular in the early 1960s. In particular, the use of E minor and D Major tonalities within the verse sections provides a unique colouring to the piece, lending a melancholic and contemplative undertone to the otherwise upbeat pop structure.

Overall Analysis

“All My Loving” by The Beatles is a mid-tempo pop song written in the key of E minor for the verse and D Major for the bridge and outro, featuring a distinct, upbeat walking bassline. The grey, almost mournful verses, along with the brighter, major-toned bridges and chorus, create a juxtaposition of feelings within the piece. The bridge also highlights The Beatles’ use of secondary dominants and chromaticism. Concluding in the tonic key of D Major, the song has an interesting interplay between Em and D Major throughout, which could be perceived as a Em: i, VI, III, II and D: vi, V7, I, vi, IV, ii, I progression.

Style Analysis

In terms of songwriting style, the dominant 7th chords give the piece a bluesy feel, while the fast tempo and 4/4 time signature make the track firmly a pop tune. The Beatles’ frequent change of chords and use of minor and major tonalities within the same piece introduces a certain depth to the song, and is a common technique used by the band in many of their songs.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of All My Loving by The Beatles are:

[‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘A7’, ‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘D’]